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Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)

General Program Description

The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) is a voluntary program that helps farmers and ranchers keep their land in agricultural production. FRPP was reauthorized in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill) as a modified version of the original Farmland Protection Program first introduced in the 1996 Farm Bill. The program provides matching funds to State, Tribal, or local governments and nongovernmental organizations with existing farmland protection programs to purchase conservation easements or other interests in land. These easements protect agricultural land, and important farmland soils, by prohibiting conversion to non-agricultural uses. To participate, a landowner submits an application to an entity—a State, Tribal, or local government or a non-governmental organization—that has an existing farm or ranch land protection program.

From 1996 to 2006, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California provided $12 million dollars to support the purchase of, and provide permanent protection for 9,307 acres of agricultural land on 30 farms across the State. These FRPP funds leveraged $18 million dollars in local funds and landowner contributions for a total easement value of $30 million dollars.

Eligibility
  1. The parcel must be privately owned and have a pending offer made to the landowner to purchase the conservation easement.
  2. At least one-half of the appraised fair market value of the easement must be cost-shared by the NGO or governmental entity or landowner.
  3. There must be 'Yellow Book' appraisal of the property completed by a General land appraiser certified in the State of California.
  4. The primary purpose of the easement must be for the protection of important farmland soils in California including prime and unique farmland, soils of statewide importance and soils of local importance. Or, the parcel must qualify as an historical or archaeological site and be listed on the National or State Registry of Historic or Archaeological Sites.
  5. The landowner must agree to have a conservation plan developed for the land subject to the conservation easement and agree to have a conservation plan on all highly erodible land owned by the landowner.
  6. The NGO or governmental entity must agree to allow the United States of America to be a co-grantee of the easement with all of the same rights as the cooperating NGO or governmental agency.
  7. The landowner must agree to limit the extent of impermeable surface to not exceed 2 percent of the total easement acreage.
  8. The landowner must agree not to subdivide the easement parcel, or take any action that would have the effect of subdividing.
The FRPP awards for Fiscal Year 2007

The NRCS Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program funding allocation for California for fiscal year 2007 is $2,407,474.

FRPP proposals are to be submitted to the Davis, CA, NRCS State Office by close of business April 27, 2007.

These documents require Acrobat Reader.

FRPP 2007 Request for Proposals (PDF; 161 KB)
California State Ranking Criteria (PDF; 152 KB)
Map of California FRPP Easements 1996 - 2006 (PDF; 265 KB) - Counties, Acreage, Funding

Mail or hand-deliver to:

Lincoln E. Burton, State Conservationist
USDA-NRCS
430 G Street #4164
Davis, CA 95616
Attention: Alan Forkey

FRPP awards will be announced on or before June 11, 2007.

Additional Information
California Contacts

Alan Forkey
FRPP Program Manager
430 G Street #4164
Davis, CA 95616
Tel: (530 792-5653
Fax: (530) 792-5790
Email: alan.forkey@ca.usda.gov

Roney Gutierrez
Program Specialist
430 G Street #4164
Davis, CA 95616
Tel: (530 792-5649
Fax: (530) 792-5791
Email: roney.gutierrez@ca.usda.gov

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